Welcome to the University of Texas at El Paso. We are delighted that you are interested in this great university.

As you explore our Web site, you will find that UTEP combines academic and research excellence with innovative programs and services, outstanding faculty, and a university-wide commitment to fostering student success.

UTEP is located in El Paso, Texas, on the border between the United States and Mexico. UTEP students live and study in the world's largest binational metropolitan area, pursuing cultural, social, and academic opportunities not available on most university campuses.

UTEP has been an important part of the El Paso community since it was founded as the Texas School of Mines and Metallurgy more than 90 years ago.

In 1914, the school opened with 27 students and a handful of faculty and staff. From this modest beginning, UTEP has grown into a dynamic urban university that today serves the needs of more than 21,000 students.

More than 75 percent of our student population is Mexican-American. In recognition of our success in creating educational opportunities for non-traditional students, the National Science Foundation designated UTEP as a Model Institution for Excellence, one of only six in the country. This has resulted in a multimillion dollar NSF grant to support UTEP's science, computer science, engineering, and mathematics programs.

Our achievements extend far beyond our traditional strengths in science and engineering. UTEP has received national acclaim for innovative programs in business, fine arts, education, the humanities, and health sciences. We continue to build on our successes, most recently becoming one of only 11 universities in the nation to receive a five-year,
$5 million "Teachers for a New Era" research grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. UTEP will become a national model for teacher education programs at urban universities, especially those serving a Hispanic-majority student population.

The Carnegie Foundation ranks UTEP in the Doctoral/Research University-Intensive category, placing us among the top 7 percent of all colleges and universities in the United States. This classification reflects UTEP's success in providing our students with opportunities to pursue advanced degrees in a broad range of fields. Today, we offer 16 doctoral degree programs.

Capitalizing on UTEP's border setting, faculty research focuses on areas such as environmental science and engineering, borderlands history, and manufacturing engineering. Our undergraduate students participate in hands-on research, working at a professional level unheard of at other universities. Students also have many opportunities to participate in binational research programs between UTEP and higher education institutions in Mexico.

We've given you just a glimpse of all that this university has to offer. After your online visit, we invite you to tour our campus and get to know us firsthand. You will always receive a warm welcome from the UTEP community.